We are proud to announce the promotion of Kennith Watts to Audio Caption Head and the addition of Nathan Bashline as Lead Engineer! Kennith and Nathan bring decades of audio engineering experience to the field and will work under the leadership of our long-time Electronics Designer Michael Zellers. Meet Kennith, Nathan, and the rest of the team below!

Kennith Watts, Jr., Audio Caption Head – is a seasoned audio engineer and music enthusiast who earned his Bachelors of Arts in General Music with a Double Concentration in Recording Technology and Trombone Performance from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. His expertise in pageantry design and audio engineering is as dynamic as his passion for music, as evidenced by his diverse roles in the field.

As a trombonist, Kennith remains an active performer, lending his talents to various groups such as the UNCW Office of Cultural Arts, Cape Fear Theatre Arts, Thalian Association, and Carolina Gold Performing Ensembles. Post-graduation, he continued to showcase his trombone skills as a guest musician for the UNC Wilmington Wind Symphony and Chamber Winds.

Kennith’s journey in music performance extends to his roles with Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, where he served in the hornline, battery, and Head Drum Major for several years. His dedication to the art led him to co-found and become an Assistant Director and Media Advisor for Alchemy Independent Percussion Ensemble, under the Carolina Gold Performing Arts umbrella. His commitment to teaching is evident in his work with high school band programs, offering instruction in conducting, brass, percussion, and visual elements. He created Gauntlet Marching Design to provide high level services like composition, design coordination, and audio consultation to marching programs nationwide.

In the realm of audio engineering, Kennith has made significant strides. Starting as the UNCW Event Recording Manager in 2012, he played a crucial role in developing the applied music technology track. His journey continued at UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium as a sound engineer in 2017. In recognition of his outstanding work, he joined the audio team at CFCC’s The Wilson Center in 2019 and assumed the position of Head of Audio in 2022. His teams actively collaborate with nationally touring, headlining artists, and Broadway shows, and Kennith leverages his skills to strengthen and elevate their audio experience. Kennith joined the audio team for the Boston Crusaders in 2022, serving as a second A1 Percussion Operator and Systems Analyst, and returned in 2023 serving as a Lead Engineer.

Nathan Bashline, Lead Engineer –is an audio engineer from southeastern Pennsylvania. He has worked with a variety of groups over the past 14 years through the marching arts. Locally to his home, Nathan has many groups from all parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, including Springford, Hatboro and North Penn. He has also had the opportunity to work with many groups nationally, including the Bluecoats, Santa Clara Vanguard Troopers and The Cadets. His work extends to the indoor drumline and color guard worlds where he designs and programs shows for many groups, both locally and nationally, including George Mason University, United Percussion, Dartmouth High School and Council Rock South. His experiences include audio design, audio set-up, and consultation. Nathan is excited to be working with the Boston Crusaders as a part of their team for the 2024 drum corps season.

2024 Audio Team

• Michael Zellers – Electronics Designer
• Kennith Watts – Audio Caption Head
• Nathan Bashline – Lead Engineer
• Evan Kempey – Audio Consultant
• Katherine Vilardi
• Derrick Tillman
• Kaitlyn Gamory
• Seth Benbow
• Grace Bonanno
• Hannah Koster
• Nathan Thompson
• Matt Ponce